Purcellville the Exception Amid Low Turnout

By Tim Richardson

Originally published at 11:41 a.m., May 6, 2008
Updated at 4:34 p.m., May 6, 2008

Voters are showing up to the polls today in Purcellville, but many residents of Loudoun's six other incorporated towns are sitting this election out.

That's the assessment from Loudoun general registrar Judy Brown, who said a lack of major issues and contested races has translated into little action at the polls.

"It's not happening out there today," she said late this morning. "It's a very boring day, I can tell you that."

The exception is Purcellville, where voters will decide whether to reelect incumbent mayor Robert W. Lazaro Jr. or hand the town's top post to former Town Council member Karl R. Phillips, who lost to Lazaro in 2006.

The race has focused on plans to build a new high school north of Purcellville -- a plan Lazaro opposes and Phillips favors. Voters also are casting ballots to fill three of the other six seats on the Town Council.

"It just doesn't look like much of a turnout any place other than Purcellville," Brown said.

As of 1:40 p.m., 750 people had cast a ballot in Purcellville, which is 17 percent of registered voters in the town. As of 10:30 a.m., 25 voters had cast a ballot in Hamilton and 22 had voted in Round Hill. In Middleburg, 64 people had voted by 3:15 p.m.

Leesburg -- and its 11 polling places -- is the only town in Loudoun with more than one polling location. At the West Leesburg precinct at the Ida Lee Recreation Center, 213 voters had cast a ballot by 2 p.m., which is an 8 percent turnout.

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Last-Minute Campaigning

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Although many voters in Loudoun's incorporated towns didn't show up to the polls Tuesday, Purcellville was the exception. Here, voters make their way inside Emerick Elementary School to cast a ballot. (Meghan Louttit)

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Purcellville Mayor Robert W. Lazaro Jr. makes his way to the poll on Tuesday. (Meghan Louttit)

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Purcellville mayoral candidate Karl R. Phillips speaks with voters Tuesday outside Purcellville's only polling place. (Meghan Louttit)

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Freshly cut grass dots this reelection sign for incumbent Purcellville Mayor Bob W. Lazaro. The heated contest between incumbent Lazaro and challenger Karl Phillips is what drew many Purcellville voters to the polls on Tuesday. (Scott Den Herder)

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A table for Leesburg Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd set up so she could campaign for Town Council candidates she supports was unstaffed Tuesday afternoon outside the polling place at Loudoun County High School. Umstattd ran unopposed for her fourth term. (Scott Den Herder)

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Purcellville mayoral candidate Karl Phillips, visible in the background, gets in some last-minute campaigning outside of Emerick Elementary on Tuesday. (Meghan Louttit)

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Karl Phillips, a candidate for Purcellville mayor, stands outside Emerick Elementary on Tuesday to talk to voters as they head to the polls. (Meghan Louttit)

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Charlie Douglas, left, and Jane Simpson help voters on Tuesday at Emerick Elementary School in Purcellville. (Meghan Louttit)

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The C.S. Monroe Technology Center was one of 11 polling places in Leesburg. (Meghan Louttit)

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At Cool Spring Elementary, the turnout rate was 3 percent by 2 p.m.

"There's not much going on," Brown said this morning. "I think in Purcellville, being there's a big race going on there, I think we're going to see a slightly higher turnout than we normally do."

In the last municipal election in 2006, Purcellville saw 31 percent of its registered voters cast a ballot. That year, Hamilton saw the highest turnout, at 32 percent, while Lovettsville had the lowest turnout, at 14 percent.

Check LoudounExtra.com tonight and Wednesday for additional coverage of the municipal election.

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